Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has called off his long-shot presidential campaign and has thrown his support behind Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, much to the displeasure of his wife, Cheryl Hines.
Teased earlier this week by Kennedy and his running mate, Nicole Shanahan, the news became official on Friday during an announcement delivered by Kennedy, 70, in a Renaissance hotel ballroom in downtown Phoenix.
Earlier reports indicated that while Kennedy was negotiating for a potential position in a second Trump administration, he was also considering opposition from Hines, who was previously reported to have said she “really does not want him” to support the former president.
In a statement released shortly after RFK Jr.’s announcement, the Curb Your Enthusiasm actor, 58, told The Hollywood Reporter, “I’d like to extend a sincere, deeply heartfelt thank you to every person who has worked so tirelessly and lovingly on his campaign. They have accomplished feats that were said to be impossible.”
“I deeply respect the decision Bobby made to run on the principle of unity. Over the last year and a half, I have met some extraordinary people from all parties—Democrats, Republicans, and Independents.
She added, “It’s been my experience that the vast majority of people from all parties are truly good people who want the best for our country and for each other. It has been an eye-opening, transformative, and endearing journey.”
Hines, however, has been candid about her aversion to Trump.
“When Trump was elected, I had to really have a long talk with myself because I thought, ‘I’m not going to make it through these four years,’” she said.
In a conversation that took place in December, Hines also commented on the 34 charges in Trump’s New York hush-money trial.
“Is Trump going to be in jail?” she asked, referring to the multiple lawsuits Trump faced. He would later be found guilty of the 34 charges, making him the first American president to be convicted of felony crimes.
“That’s the other thing I ask Bobby all the time: ‘Can Trump be president from prison?’ Bobby said, ‘It’s not in the Constitution that he can’t.’
“Because who would write it in the Constitution?” she added.
